How self-reliant is your 7-year-old?

EliseB0323 · January 2012

Can he/she:

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.)

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.)

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly)

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich.

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.)

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom.

CleoKitty · January 2012

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc. Yes.

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.) Yes.

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly) Um, we never set the table. Ever. He couldn't reach the cabinets with the plates/glasses on his own anyhow. He does usually grab silverware and napkins for everyone though and we have him clear the table each night.

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich. Yes to sandwich or toast, no to microwave. We don't have a microwave so he'd have no idea how to use one. He most typically will help himself to easy things like yogurt or fruit. He's also known to get into the fridge, put leftovers into a bowl and just eat it cold.

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.) Needs help rinsing his hair. What can I say? He has long, thick, luscious locks. ;-) We're working on it though and he's almost there. We just double check it now before he gets out to make sure all the shampoo is gone.

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom. Yes, although I won't let him go into just any public restroom alone. It depends on the place.

Jodi&Joe · January 2012

1. He can get himself dressed however he wears jeans almost exclusively so it's a matter of grabbing a pair of jeans and a shirt. Easy! He can't tie his shoes yet. We haven't taken the time to teach him. We have to remind him to brush his teeth. Backpack is packed by us and put on the counter - he grabs it on the way out.

2. Yes.

3. Yes (although plates are up at a level he can't reach but if I put them on the counter, he can do it. We don't let him (we set the table) and really should start having him do it.)

4. He knows how to operate the microwave (so does Cam) and they love doing it. I would say 85% of the time, though, we do all of the preparing for them.

5. Yes (they both can).

6. I have only let him do this a couple times. *I'm* not comfortable with it but he can certainly do it. Going forward, I will allow him to go on his own (he's too grown to be in a woman's room at this point) just haven't had the opportunity recently.

ccm1203 · January 2012

E will be 7 in April

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.). Dressed yes, shoelaces no. I pack his backpack but he is capable, brush teeth yes.

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.) yes

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly). yes, does it very well

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich. yes

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.) yes to all but he asks me to turn it on because he'd get soaked with cold water otherwise, he does adjust it.

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom. yes

GinandTonic · January 2012

EliseB0323:
Can he/she:

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.)
He still can't (or won't...) tie his shoes, but other than that, yes.

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.)
Yes, but not from a full gallon of milk, it's too heavy. My stepmom actually starting buying milk in half gallons precisely for this reason (she has teenagers now, but she did this when they were younger). And yes to the simple snacks.

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly)
We're not the biggest table setters - I tend to put the food on the plates and put them on the table and pass out utensils. But, when we do set it, he can, more or less.

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich.
Yes. He's a microwave pro.

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.)
He still likes baths, but he's more or less independent about them.

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom.
Yes. But, whether I let him go alone depends on the place. It's starting to be an issue because he's really tall for his age and I'm getting uncomfortable about him coming in the ladies room with me. People usually think he's much older than he is.

DandRAgain · January 2012

EliseB0323:

Can he/she:

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.)

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.)

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly)

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich.

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.)

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom.

i'll answer for all my kids...T=7.5, A=6.5, M=4.5 years old.

1. All can do this, but A needs constantly to be pushed....stuff like "10 minutes until we leave and you still need to brush your teeth". She is my wonderer, butterfly watcher, whatever. With Mitch, a lot of times his outfits are....interesting....but I guess its not really worth it to me to make a deal out of it. I only get "specific" with him if he has somethign special or whatever. Also, he doesn't have shoelace shoes at this point. Just velcro nikes, and some slip on dressier shoes....winterboots aren't tie either. So he can't do that at this point. My girls can though.

2. I only let the girls pour milk or whatever if its half or more gone...otherwise the milk is too heavy. I get it for Mitch every time. They all can get a snack. We have a specific snack bucket that has the sorta junky snacks...but they also are free to get a piece of fruit, cheese stick, yogurt and do that on their own.

3. I typically put the food on each plate and bring them to the table all served up....and leave the pots/dishes on the stove. But they will set silverware, cups for drinks, get the milk out, or sometimes the "side" dishes I'll put on the table, they will help me with that so we can practice "will you please pass the ____________".

4. Yes, both girls can. Mitch not so much. They both toast their own toast in the morning, or waffle if they want a waffle. I may need to get the syrup out for them since its high, or cut the waffle so it goes quicker if its a school day, but they both can do those things. Our microwave is over the stove so they can't reach, so no, they don't use that. Actually, T has used it a couple of times with a stool...

5. My girls do this on their own. Mitch needs help getting the water turned on, but does the rest on his own. He just needs reminded to "clean your pits, penis, bottom and hair well!" But I think he does decent. They all get out, dry off and get dressed themselves. Audrey's hair is long so she prefers for me to brush it out of the shower...and typically she wants me to "fix" it in the morning...she could do it, but she likes braids or pig tails or whatever.

6. I typically make my girls go together if I'm not going in with them. I think its better to have both there in case something happens like a door gets stuck, the main door is too heavy for one alone, they don't have toilet paper in their stall, or whatever. They are good about NOT messing around...they do their business and come back out...or I will check on them if its been a few minutes...Mitch still goes with ME or DH if we are at a public place like a restaurant or zoo...but he can do everything on his own.

Carol*Brady2 · January 2012

Can he/she:

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.)

--Yes, though sometimes her outfits are too "fancy" for the occasion. She wears uniforms to school so that's no problem. She cannot tie her shoes at all but doesn't really wear tie shoes anyway.

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.)

--Yes

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly)

--Not sure she'd have spoon, fork & knives on the right side. She's only set the table a handful of times

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich.

--Yes, except microwave...she can't reach it so she doesn't know how to use it

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.)

--Yes, but we've had issues with rinsing out of all the shampoo/conditioner but she has extremely long hair

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom.

--She can but I rarely let her...I mean I always let her go in the stall but to leave the table at a restaurant or something & go...I have to be able to see the door.

StJess88 · January 2012

EliseB0323:
Can he/she:

1) Pick out appropriate clothes and get completely dressed (buttons, belts, shoelaces, etc.) and ready to go to school (pack backpack, brush teeth, etc.) Yes

2) Pour themselves a drink without spilling. Get a simple snack (like a cheese stick from the fridge or crackers from the cupboard.) Yes

3) Set the table by themselves. (Get out the plates, silverware, napkins, glasses and arrange them correctly) Yes (although, she has to get a chair if I make her get glasses out because she isn't tall enough)

4) Prepare simple foods. For example, make toast and put butter on it, microwave pancakes, make a sandwich. Yes

5) Take a shower by themselves. (Turn on and adjust water; wash themselves, shampoo and rinse own hair; turn off water; dry off.) Yes

6) Go to the bathroom by themselves in a public restroom. Yes (in fact, she prefers to go alone)

warriormomerin · January 2012

Yes, to everything.

shopgirl78 · January 2012

Mine is 6.5 years.

1) Absolutely. Though for the clothes on the hangers, they are hard for her to reach. Now, she will need prompting and reminders to do it! Generally, all I have to say is H have your brushed your teeth?

2) Yes. The cups in the cabinet are hard to reach but she will get a chair and get herself some water.

3) We don't usually set the table per se but she did help during THanksgiving.

4) No but she can get a snack that doesn't take much preparing.

5) Everything but turn on the water. I check the temp.

6) Yes. She has even asked to go alone and the other day (not bathroom related) I bought chips and they were 2 for 1. H went all the way to the back of a non-crowded grocery store and brough them right back to me.

crazynervous · January 2012

My DS will be six at the end of may but he can do all that. I have never let him fill the bathtub but he likes to help wth dishes and he is good at fix the water temp for that so I would also assume iff he had to run his own btw he could but I usually am getting his little bother in the bath too so I Just do it.